The Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal with God the Father and Jesus the Son of God. He is the one who convicts of sin and guides into the truth.

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit being God as part of the Trinity is one of the great mysteries of Christianity. It is a core teachings of Christianity, setting Christianity apart from other monotheistic religions such as Islam, as well various off-shoots of Christianity such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Christadelphianism.

The Spirit is not an impersonal “it” or simply an influence. He is a person. He is sometimes forgotten in the discussion of the God the Father and God the Son, and yet plays a role within the Trinity and salvation that is fundamental to the Christian life. The Holy Spirit is a person who can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and teach (John 14:26) among many other things.

Biblical passages

The Bible explains the importance and centrality of the Holy Spirit in the divine plan. Without his presence in this world, there would not be creation, the universe, nor even humanity (Genesis 1:2, Job 26:13, Job 33:4, Psalm 104:30). Without the Holy Spirit, neither the New Testament nor the Bible would not come into existence (2 Peter 1:21, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:10). And without him Christians have no power to proclaim the gospel (Acts 1:8). Without the Holy Spirit, humans would not have faith, new birth or holiness.

Category: God